The Northerner + John Prescott | The Guardianhttp://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/the-northerner+politics/johnprescott
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Labour's year in the north by numbershttp://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/dec/14/labour-north-2012-bradford-west-rotherham-george-galloway-denis-macshane-john-prescott
The <em>Guardian Northerner</em>'s political commentor <strong><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/ed-jacobs">Ed Jacobs</a></strong> picks some statistics to illustrate the way the party fared in 2012<p>It's been a year of mostly ups for Labour in the north, but not entirely. Success was punctuated by the shock of the dreadful result for the party in the Bradford West by-election which saw George Galloway return to Westminster for Respect.</p><p>The party also had to endure prolonged controversy over one of its own MPs, Denis MacShane, who was ultimately forced to resign his Rotherham seat over misclaimed expenses. And John Prescott's high profile attempt to become Police and Crime Commissioner for Humberside proved a damp squib. </p><p><strong>47%</strong> is the average support for Labour in northern England in 2012 among those certain to vote as measured in the <em>Guardian</em>'s <a href="http://www.icmresearch.com/tag/guardian/page/2">regular polling by ICM Research.</a></p><p><strong>2nd</strong> is <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/mar/30/george-galloway-bradford-west-byelection">where Labour came in Bradford West</a>. Concluding that Labour had it coming, Simon Danczuk, the party's MP for Rochdale observed in <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/the-northerner/2012/mar/30/george-galloway-bradford-byelection-simon-danczuk">an article for the <em>Guardian Northerner</em></a>: &quot;Byelections are furious, competitive affairs packed with high drama. It's always a bumpy ride and the golden rule is that playing safe is probably the most dangerous thing in the world. This was Labour's cardinal error.&quot;</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/dec/14/labour-north-2012-bradford-west-rotherham-george-galloway-denis-macshane-john-prescott">Continue reading...</a>PoliticsLabourEd MilibandBradford West byelection 2012George GallowayJohn PrescottFri, 14 Dec 2012 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/dec/14/labour-north-2012-bradford-west-rotherham-george-galloway-denis-macshane-john-prescottOwen Humphreys/PAOff your bike. In a generally good northern year for Labour, John Prescott took a spill. Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PAOwen Humphreys/PAHigh-profile candidates, such as John Prescott, who is standing in Humberside, could lead to more awareness of the police commissioner elections. Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PAEd Jacobs2012-12-14T07:00:00ZOur new Police and Crime Commissioners in the north - and there's no John Prescotthttp://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/nov/16/police-and-crime-commissioner-elections-northern-england-john-prescott
Dismal day for democracy as voters trickle to the polls to choose eight Labour and four Conservative holders of the controversial new posts. One shock: Prescott loses. But even on Humberside, with stacks of publicity, the turnout fails to reach 20 percent<p>There we are then. The <em>Guardian Northerner</em>'s attempts to rouse interest in the Police and Crime Commissioner elections have been completely unavailing and the voice of <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/discussion/user/tiojo">tiojo</a>, <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/the-northerner/2012/nov/05/police-and-crime-commissioners-police-spoilt-ballot-paper-north-yorkshire">Janice Gwilliam</a> and our <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/nov/16/police-commissioner-spoilt-ballot-papers?intcmp=239">other ballot-spoiling writers and readers</a> is heard across the land.</p><p>A fiasco. How can anyone claim a democratic mandate on a turnout of 12.41 percent in Merseyside or 13.25 in Janice's North Yorkshire? Or anywhere else, for that matter? In the three northern regions, only Northumbria and Humberside managed to creep their turnout of voters up to over 16 percent. </p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/nov/16/police-and-crime-commissioner-elections-northern-england-john-prescott">Continue reading...</a>Police and crime commissionersPolicePoliticsJohn PrescottVoter apathyLocal governmentFri, 16 Nov 2012 18:57:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/nov/16/police-and-crime-commissioner-elections-northern-england-john-prescottChris Radburn/PAThe World Custard Pie Championships at Coxheath Village Hall in Kent. The PCC elections have been the political equivalent. Photograph: Chris Radburn/PAChris Radburn/PAA competitor takes part in the World Custard Pie Championship at Coxheath Village Hall in Kent. Photograph: Chris Radburn/PAMartin Wainwright2012-11-16T18:57:00ZA truly independent voice for Humbersidehttp://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/oct/29/police-police-and-crime-commissioners
<strong>Neil Eyre</strong>, one of the three independent candidates fighting John Prescott to be PCC in Humberside, sets out his stall as a wholly non-establishment voice<p>I'm one of the independent candidates standing in the Humberside region. Unlike most, if not all independent candidates, I am completely different in the sense that I am not part of the establishment and never have been. I belong to no political party, and I don't come from some lofty position of authority which most independent candidates boast they do.<br /> <br />I am a private citizen who decided that enough was enough. No more false options. No more illusion of choice. I was going to put my head on the block and give the electorate in Humberside a real option. Someone with no ties to party politics. Someone who doesn't come from an establishment background. Someone who doesn't come from a position of authority, dictating to the public for 30-odd years how they are the only ones capable of running important public positions.<br /> <br />I do genuinely believe that anyone in this country could run an office for public service. I would love to see more regular/normal people standing against the very individuals who keep telling them/us that they/we are no good and couldn't possibly understand how government works<br /> <br />I have no team to speak of. No agents or sub-agents. I don't have minions fawning over me like the other candidates. I have friends who support me and acquaintances that are promising to vote for me.<br /> <br />I have spoken to hundreds of people in the region, and the one thing they all have in common is they don't want a politician to do this job. Half the people I speak to want 'anyone but John Prescott'. Most are glad that I'm running and walk away from me happy in the knowledge that there is someone 'normal' for them to vote for.<br /> <br />I don't know what the result of the poll will be on 15 November but I know that 30% of the country will not vote for a politician, so I have some confidence that I will get votes. Will they be enough to get to first or second and force a run off? I don't know, but it will be very interesting to find out.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/oct/29/police-police-and-crime-commissioners">Continue reading...</a>PolicePolice and crime commissionersJohn PrescottCrimeLocal governmentPoliticsMon, 29 Oct 2012 18:00:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/oct/29/police-police-and-crime-commissionersHeather Martin/AlamySafe in the hands of party politicians? No, says Neil Eyre.Photograph: Heather Martin/AlamyHeather Martin/AlamyMost items handed in at a police station become yours after 28 days if they remain uncollected. Photograph: Heather Martin/AlamyNeil Eyre2012-10-29T18:00:00ZPCC elections on 15 November: the northern party line-uphttp://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/oct/23/police-and-crime-commissioners-police
We have 12 police forces, 12 Tory candidates, 12 Labour, nine Lib Dem, eight UKIP, two English Democrats, one Green and ten independents (three of them facing John Prescott in Humberside)<p>Today's second <em>Northerner</em> post <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/the-northerner/2012/oct/23/lancashire-police-crime-commissioner-election">flagged up our plan</a> to bring you details of the <a href="http://www.policecrimecommissioner.co.uk/">Police and Crime Commissioner candidates</a> for all the police forces in the three northern regions of England. We also hope to run as many manifestos from them as possible and posts from others interested.</p><p>Before we get going on each force, here's an overview showing which parties, and/or independents, are in the field in all 12 elections. You'll see some familiar names - notably John Prescott in Humberside where his opponents include Geoffrey Bloom, the UKIP MEP. Other former Westminster MPs include Vera Baird, fighting for Labour in Northumbria, and there are many local councillors putting up.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/oct/23/police-and-crime-commissioners-police">Continue reading...</a>Police and crime commissionersPolicePoliticsManchesterLeedsLiverpoolNewcastleSheffieldSocietyLocal governmentCrimeJohn PrescottHillsborough disasterTue, 23 Oct 2012 17:07:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/oct/23/police-and-crime-commissioners-policeChristopher Furlong/Getty ImagesHillsborough. The South Yorkshire job will be one of the toughest of all. Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty ImagesJon Super/APRiot police in Manchester last year. Most people have opinions about that. Now we've a vote as well. Photograph: Jon Super/APJon Super/APRiot police run up Market Street in the city centre during civil disturbances in Manchester, England, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2011. Britain began flooding London's streets with 16,000 police officers Tuesday, nearly tripling their presence as the nation feared its worst rioting in a generation would stretch into a fourth night. The violence has turned buildings into burnt out carcasses, triggered massive looting and spread to other U.K. cities. (AP Photo/Jon Super). Photograph: Jon Super/APMartin Wainwright2012-10-23T17:07:00ZHow should we police the police?http://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/oct/19/police-and-crime-commissioners-police
Northern forces are going through troubling times, but there seems little public appetite for new and different management. <strong><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/ed-jacobs">Ed Jacobs,</a></strong> the <em>Northerner</em>'s political commentor, is not optimistic about reform<p>Last month in the <em>Northerner</em>, Martin Wainwright wrote of <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/the-northerner/2012/sep/19/police-chief-constables-manchester-yorkshire-cleveland-cumbria">the troubled times</a> facing police forces across the north. Whilst the <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/sep/19/manchester-mourns-murdered-pcs">barbaric murders</a> of WPCs Fiona Bruce and Nicola Hughes in Greater Manchester sent shockwaves nationwide, question marks over the heads of some of the north's major police forces prompted pressing questions about the accountability and transparency of those at the top.</p><p>In September came <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/sep/14/cumbria-police-stuart-hyde-suspended">the news</a> that Cumbria's temporary chief constable, Stuart Hyde had been suspended pending an investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) into allegations of 'serious' misconduct, which has <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/no-ipcc-action-over-cumbria-chief-constable-8203818.html">subsequently decided</a> that:</p><p>while some matters may require an investigation by Cumbria Police Authority, the allegations as they stand either do not amount to serious misconduct or are based on unsupported suspicion and therefore do not warrant IPCC involvement.</p><p>The force's reputation has taken a big hit and that is what hurts officers serving today; those who started their careers long after 1989</p><p>The most important thing about Police and Crime Commissioners is that they will need to stand up for the public and cut crime. If they don't, they'll be voted out of their job.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/oct/19/police-and-crime-commissioners-police">Continue reading...</a>Police and crime commissionersPolicePoliticsJohn PrescottHillsborough disasterFri, 19 Oct 2012 06:00:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/oct/19/police-and-crime-commissioners-policeOwen Humphreys/PAOn your (police) bike. The former deputy prime minister John Prescott looks likely to be the first commissioner in Humberside. Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PAOwen Humphreys/Press AssociationFormer deputy prime minister John Prescott wants to be elected as one of the UK's first police and crime commissioners. Photograph: Owen Humphreys/Press AssociationEd Jacobs2012-10-19T06:00:00ZWill police commissioners make the north safer?http://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/jun/01/police-johnprescott
Labour is making the running, but there are widespread fears about lack of accountability and populism. And the powerful new National Crime Agency will sidestep the process altogether. <strong><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/ed-jacobs">Ed Jacobs</a></strong> reflects<p>In case you missed it, last Friday saw David Cameron blitzing the regional papers to sell his flagship law and order policy of Police and Crime Commissioners.</p><p>Contributions made for the <a href="http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2012/05/25/david-cameron-on-why-he-thinks-a-crime-commissioner-will-keep-liverpool-s-streets-safe-100252-31042193/">Liverpool Echo</a>, the <a href="http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/comment/blogs/s/1532009_david-cameron-police-commissioner-will-answer-to-you-the-people-of-manchester">Manchester Evening News</a> and the <a href="http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/letters-and-columnists/david-cameron-why-yorkshire-needs-an-elected-police-chief-1-4583679">Yorkshire Post</a> resembled less a targeted media strategy and more a cut and paste job, gaps obviously left in each piece marked up 'insert name of place here'. That aside, the Prime Minister's message was consistent throughout: that the introduction of the American style commissioners will provide a voice for the people, someone they can hold to account for policing priorities and results in a way that they cannot with the existing police authorities, which Cameron calls 'invisible'.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/jun/01/police-johnprescott">Continue reading...</a>PoliticsPoliceJohn PrescottConservativesLabourLiberal DemocratsFri, 01 Jun 2012 06:16:24 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/jun/01/police-johnprescottCarl Court/AFP/Getty ImagesLooking for a new commissioner? The north of England is not yet excited. Photograph: Carl Court/AFP/Getty ImagesRussell Boyce/ReutersA police officer ensures his hat is in place as he rushes to join colleaguesEd Jacobs2012-06-01T06:16:24ZThe time is right to revive the campaign for northern devolutionhttp://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/mar/07/austin-mitchell-north-hannah-mitchell-foundation
<strong><a href="http://www.austinmitchell.org/">Austin Mitchell</a></strong> hails this week's launch of the Hannah Mitchell Foundation as the first step towards robust and energising regional power<p>Campaigning for the North has always alternated between hope and despair. <a href="http://www.manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/catalogue/book.asp?id=1204884">Richard Wainwright</a> and I formed the Campaign for the North in the Seventies. That petered out and wandered off to Newcastle to die. John Prescott <a href="http:///www.guardian.co.uk/society/2005/jan/06/regionalgovernment.politics">battled for regional devolution</a> in the Nineties but couldn't persuade Blair, the Great Centralist, to offer anything worth voting for. So the <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3984387.stm">North East duly didn't.</a></p><p>Since then centralisation has gone on apace. Now our government of millionaires gives us government of the North by the South East for the South East. It's dedicated to spending cuts which hit the North hardest because we're more dependent on public sector jobs and spending. It's abolished our <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/nov/12/abolition-regional-development-agencies-maoist-cable">Regional Development Agencies</a>, and <a href="http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/1646834">regional offices</a>, put local government in financial chains. It's handed regional development to a scrabbling<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/global/2012/feb/05/local-enterprise-partnerships-revive-regions"> mass of Local Enterprise Partnerships </a>competing for a smaller pot of money.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/mar/07/austin-mitchell-north-hannah-mitchell-foundation">Continue reading...</a>PoliticsJohn PrescottLondonScotlandSocietyLocal governmentTony BlairDevolutionWed, 07 Mar 2012 11:20:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/mar/07/austin-mitchell-north-hannah-mitchell-foundationRex featuresLet's spread our wings! And in proper northern style, Hannah Mitchell's very own kettle will be on show at the Foundation's launch. Photograph: Rex featuresRex featuresThe Angel of the North sculpture by Antony Gormley. Photograph: Rex featuresAustin Mitchell2012-03-07T11:20:00ZDalai Lama to give ethics advice to Yorkshire business leadershttp://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/feb/20/dalailama-business-yorkshire-portillo-prescott-cram-portas
Tibet's spiritual leader follows Mikhail Gorbachev and Bill Clinton to the region's annual summer convention<p>The Dalai Lama is paying his first visit in over 15 years to northern England this summer, topping the bill at the annual <a href="http://www.yibc.biz">Yorkshire Business Convention</a> and addressing thousands of Buddhists at Manchester's arena.</p><p>He will have at least two areas of up-to-the-minute relevance: the morality of business practices including the much-debated bonus system; and the challenges which face regions ruled from a distance by centralised powers.</p><p>This is a wonderful opportunity for the Yorkshire business community leaders to hear a distinctive message of ethics and morality from one of the world's most revered spiritual leaders.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/feb/20/dalailama-business-yorkshire-portillo-prescott-cram-portas">Continue reading...</a>LeedsManchesterDalai LamaBusinessExecutive pay and bonusesLocal governmentMary PortasJohn PrescottEthicsGreater ManchesterMon, 20 Feb 2012 15:56:24 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/feb/20/dalailama-business-yorkshire-portillo-prescott-cram-portasCarl de Souza/ReutersLoads of experience and a ready smile - the Dalai Lama meets Gordon Brown four years ago. Photograph: Carl de Souza/ReutersCarl de Souza/ReutersThe Dalai Lama and Gordon Brown at Lambeth Palace. Photograph: Carl de Souza/ReutersMartin Wainwright2012-02-20T15:56:24Z